(Bloomberg) -- Kenya has declared Friday a holiday to plant trees in a bid to fight climate change that’s led to floods and torrential rains after years of drought.

“Acknowledging that tree growing is the singular long-term solution to the climate crisis and its devastating effects on life and livelihoods,” May 10 has been designated a public holiday “for the purpose of countrywide tree growing activities,” Interior Secretary Kithure Kindiki said in a gazette notice posted on X.

It will be the second tree planting holiday in six months.

President William Ruto wants 15 billion trees planted in his country by 2032 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reverse deforestation.

The devastating floods have so far claimed 257 lives and displaced 54,837 households, according to a government spokesman. Kenya usually has seasonal rains from March to May, but the downpours have been severe this year, worsened by the El Niño weather phenomenon. Ruto has warned they may extend into next month. 

The prolonged rains are an indicator of how severely Africa is being impacted by extreme weather events that scientists say are becoming increasingly frequent and severe because of climate change — even though it produces far less global-warming gases than developed regions.

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.